Rosie, Meet My Sister
by lizziebeam17
Summary: Carter and Joe get two visitors at the same time – and neither of them knew the other existed.
1. Prologue, Part I

**Title:** Rosie, Meet My Sister  
**Fandom:** _Princess Protection Program_ and _Hannah Montana  
_**Pairings:** Carter/Rosie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Genre:** Family/Romance  
**Summary:** Carter and Joe receive some startling news… Later, Rosie surprises the Masons with a visit during Carter's winter break, and the girls' relationship quickly begins to deepen from best friends to something more.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Princess Protection Program _or _Hannah Montana_. They are both owned by Disney Channel.  
**Notes:** I will eventually be re-categorizing this as a crossover, but I wanted to see if it'd catch anyone's interest, so I just posted it here. Enjoy!

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Prologue, Part I

If Mikayla had known what Hollywood would be like before, she probably wouldn't have worked so hard to get there.

It's not that she hadn't liked Hollywood. Cause she had. Kind of. She liked singing and she liked acting, and she liked knowing that _people_ liked her singing and liked her acting. _Liked._ Past tense. Things had changed.

The singing career hadn't lasted long, only eight months. "If Cupid Had A Heart" was only a cover, it was her only single, and it had made her a one-hit wonder. As a one-hit wonder, she'd been interviewed with Hannah Montana. _Hannah Montana._ Mikayla loved Hannah Montana, had ever since the beginning of the pop star's career. But when she finally got to meet her, she couldn't be stupid and get all crazed fan girl on her, so she did the exact opposite. She was a complete and total bitch, taking a leaf out of her agent Margo's book. Because of this, she had made an enemy where she could've – and should've – made a friend.

The acting career had been her next option. Somehow, she didn't know quite how, she'd gotten a leading role on _Roger Bucks: Intergalactic Bounty Hunter_ with Jake Ryan, who she'd had a _big_ crush on. For about ten minutes. That stupid movie had been the peak of her acting career. After that, she managed to last a little more than another year playing small roles in big movies, modeling, and serving on charity boards. But she just wasn't into it anymore.

When her last contracted photo shoot with some overrated teen magazine ended, she handed Margo her resignation and told her aunt and uncle who'd she lived with for the last two years that she was going home. They'd acted sad but Mikayla, as always, saw through their mask. But she didn't call them on it. She knew she was just an annoyance to them, always had been. No one had truly cared about her here.

As the last of her things were packed and loaded onto the small truck she'd rented, she sighed and pulled out her cell phone to complete her final task. Pulling up her contact list on the iPhone, she thumbed through the names. She took a deep breath as she stopped on one simply titled **Dad**. She clicked it, biting her bottom lip nervously, and brought the phone to her ear.

It only rang twice before her father answered.

"Daddy?" Mikayla said quietly. "It's me. Mikayla. I…I'm coming home."


	2. Prologue, Part II

**NOTES:** This isn't really a "chapter" yet. It's more like filler. But it's necessary, I swear. I should have the REAL first chapter up pretty soon. Lemme know what you guys think. :)

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Prologue, Part II

Joe Mason's most recent mission with the Princess Protection Program had just come to an end. He had been away from home for four days and had gotten a very enthusiastic greeting from his daughter when he'd come back without any princesses in tow.

It was around eleven o'clock in the morning on a Wednesday. Carter was at school taking her midterms – it was her last week before her winter break. While she worked hard on her tests, Joe was taking inventory of the bait in the shop. They wouldn't be closed for much of Carter's break, since reports were saying that the temperature wouldn't drop much below fifty for the holidays. He wanted to make sure he had everything he needed until at least New Year's.

His cell phone was shoved in his jean pocket when it started to ring. Pressing the accept button on his earpiece, he automatically answered, "Mason."

"_Daddy?"_ a quiet voice said. Joe froze, dropping the 288th worm he'd been counting into its bucket. _"It's me. Mikayla. I…I'm coming home."_

Joe's mouth dropped open and his mind raced. He hadn't heard his other daughter's voice in nearly two months. It was the longest they had gone without speaking in the two years Mikayla had been in California.

"Princess," he began. "That's great! But…why?"

As any good father would, he listened patiently to his daughter's story. She explained why she hadn't called in nearly two months: she had been afraid to disappoint her family with her failing career. Joe was quick to reassure Mikayla that he was very proud of the success she'd already achieved and was _far_ from disappointed in her.

"I'm glad you're coming home, sweetheart," Joe said, smiling into the phone. "I'm sure your sister will be just as thrilled." He heard Mikayla mutter something lowly but hadn't heard it. Instead of asking it, he decided it had probably been unimportant. "So, when are you coming in?"

"_Saturday,"_ Mikayla said happily. _"My flight's supposed to be in at two."_

"I'll be there to pick you up. Carter, too."

"_Thanks, Daddy. I love you."_

"I love you, too, Princess," Joe said. "Now, I've gotta keep taking inventory. But you call me again later, all right?" He smiled and swore he could hear his daughter smiling through the phone as she promised to call back later that day. "Bye." He clicked his earpiece again and ended the call.

As he continued counting worms, he decided that he would keep Mikayla's return a secret and surprise Carter at the last minute. He was sure she would be delighted to hear the news and couldn't wait to see her reaction.


	3. Chapter 1

**NOTES:** So, here's the official first chapter! I know it's been a LONG time since I've updated, so I hope y'all are still interested. :)

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Chapter 1

In the bait shop on Saturday, Carter sighed and bent over, grabbing another bucket of worms and heaving it up onto the topmost shelf. She'd only been working for about half an hour. She'd made a quick count of the buckets already stacked and went to grab some more when she saw they were running a little low.

"Need a hand?" Carter turned around to see her father standing in the doorway. She nodded and he came up beside her, gently pushing her back so he could take over. The silence between them was comfortable as Joe took over Carter's job and began loading the shelves with buckets.

"Carter," he said, as Carter started walking to the cash register. "I have something to tell you." And of course, Carter stopped and turned to him, waiting for him to tell her. She watched as he took a deep breath and stood up straighter. Whatever it was clearly wasn't good.

"What's wrong?" she demanded. "Something's wrong!"

Joe grinned and shook his head. "No," he said. "Nothing's wrong, I promise. I have news." Carter still looked concerned. "Good news," he tacked on. "Carter…Mikayla's coming home!"

Carter's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe her ears. _Mikayla?_ No way. Mikayla was in Los Angeles and had been for two years. And, as far as Carter was concerned, she could stay there forever. Things were peaceful without that dang drama queen always around. Carter had a room to herself and could get her homework done without distraction.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me." Carter glared at her father and crossed her arms over her chest, determined not to believe what he'd said.

"Carter," Joe said sternly. "I expect you to behave. She's as much a part of this family as you are." He turned around, grabbed a plastic bucket full of worms off the ground, and heaved it up onto the top shelf.

Carter scoffed. "Sure," she muttered. She stood in the middle of the bait shop, watching her father, waiting for him to say more. He was quiet for a while, carefully loading the new buckets of bait onto their proper shelves.

Finally, Joe turned and met his daughter's eyes. He crossed the room to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Look, pal. I know you're upset with her. But she's coming home, soon, and you're gonna have to work it out. I'm not asking you to just _forget_ anything right now. You can handle things on your own time. I am going to ask you to at least be _civil_. She's your sister."

Carter sighed and looked down at her feet. "Carter, promise me," Joe said.

"I'll be nice," Carter said grudgingly, shuffling away from her father's grasp. "Just don't expect us to be best buddies."

Joe smiled. That was enough for him. Though he definitely hadn't expected this reaction, Carter was a smart girl. If there was a problem – which there clearly seemed to be – he was confident that there was good reason for it and that she would deal with things in her own way. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a big bear hug, which she half-heartedly fought against before melting into it.

"Thanks pal," he murmured, kissing the top of his daughter's head.

Carter grunted in acknowledgement, moving out of Joe's arms. "When's she getting in?"

"Tomorrow at two o'clock," Joe answered promptly.

"Do I have to go with you to the airport?"

"It would be nice."

"_Fine_," Carter groaned. "_Maybe_ I'll come with." Muttering under her breath, she fled behind the counter, plopping down on her stool and popping open the register drawer. Joe chuckled. If "maybe" was all he could get, then that was what he would take. He walked up to the counter, patted Carter's head, and walked away, feeling her glare on his back as he left to check his nets.

****

When the sun set that evening, Carter was sitting on the edge of the dock behind the house, dangling her feet over the edge. The sun set always reminded her of her mother. When she and Mikayla were young, their mother would bring them out here to watch the sunsets on nice summer nights. She would sit between the two girls and put one arm around each of them. Carter had relished those moments. Even as a child, she had felt completely at peace. The effect, even four years later, hadn't changed.

This dock was her safe haven, her connection to her mother. Sometimes, when she was upset or in need of advice her father couldn't give her, she would come out here after sunset and just think things over, praying that maybe her mother would hear her and help her out.

Now was one of those times. She sat quietly, dipping her toes in the lake water. She hadn't seen Mikayla in two years and had barely spoken to her since she had moved away. Once upon a time, Mikayla had been Carter's best friend and her sister. Right now, she was just Carter's sister, an accident of blood. Carter didn't know how to deal with her anymore.

Rosie was Carter's best friend now. Rosie was Carter's whole world, whether she knew it or not.

Carter's cell phone began to ring in her pocket. She checked her watch and smiled as she answered the phone for her daily phone call with Rosie.

"_Hello, my darling!"_ Rosie chirped. _"I miss you!"_

Carter chuckled, dragging her big toe over the surface of the water. "I miss you, too, Rosie. How was your day today?"

That got Rosie going for a little while. Carter stayed on the line, only half-listening to her best friend's voice. The other half of her was stuck in her head, remembering all that had gone wrong with Mikayla…

"_Carter? Are you listening to me?"_

Carter blinked. "Um, no. Sorry, I got a little lost in my head. What'd you say?"

"_I _said _I will be coming to Lake Monroe tomorrow and staying for the holidays!"_

Carter's jaw dropped. "You… You're _what?_" she repeated and her mind raced.

"_Oh, Carter, I am _so _excited! You must tell your father I will be coming into town. You needn't pick me up at the airport; I will have a car bring me to you so I will not burden you or Major Mason. I must go now, my darling I have so much packing to do! I love you, and I will see you _soon_!"_

Carter nearly dropped the phone when she heard the dial tone. Rosie would be coming into town. Tomorrow. On the one hand, that was definitely a good thing. In fact, it was dang near amazing! Rosie had been certain she would be tied down for the holidays, obligated to attend the traditional Christmas festivities in Costa Luna. The fact that she had managed to get away was a miracle.

On the other hand, this was terrible timing. Mikayla would be coming home tomorrow as well. Carter didn't know the time Rosie's flight would be arriving and wasn't sure who would get to Louisiana first. Rosie knew nothing about Mikayla. Carter and Joe didn't mention her much and the subject had just never come up when Rosie was around.

But now, Carter hoped to God Rosie would get in before Mikayla. At least then, she would have time to explain things to her friend and apologize. She wondered if Rosie would be very upset with her. She hoped not. It wasn't that big of a deal, after all. It was just a sister…that neither she nor Joe, two people Rosie trusted absolutely, had never even mentioned to her.

Carter quickly stood up and raced down the dock and toward the house.

Yeah. This wasn't going to go very well.


	4. Chapter 2

**NOTES:** This chapter just kind of deals with Mikayla and Rosie getting to Louisiana and how they both react (or don't react) to the situation. The next chapter is already in the works and will be dealing more with Mikayla and Carter's ~issues. Enjoy!

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Chapter 2

Mikayla's flight landed right on time and she was one of the first ones off the plane, thanks to her first-class seat. She may not have been a pop star or a movie star anymore, but she was still recognizable and had a small fortune to her name. She could afford a few perks.

Mikayla hadn't been in the Monroe Regional Airport for a little over two years but she still knew her way around. Shifting her small duffel bag to rest comfortably on her shoulder, she walked through the familiar terminals, down the escalator to baggage claim. She found the luggage carousel carrying the two bags she'd brought with her and waited for it to appear.

"Carter?" she heard a voice calling, and she immediately turned around when she heard her sister's name being called. A brunette girl in a floral skirt and pink cardigan flew into her arms. She didn't say a word as the girl held her and whispered, "I missed you," into her ear, though she was certain this girl was mistaking her for her twin.

"Er…yeah," she muttered, gently pushing the girl off her. The girl looked a little hurt, and Mikayla felt bad, but really? She was hugging a total stranger. She'd had fans that would hug her in L.A., too, and it was always kind of awkward, but she learned to put up with it. "I think you've got the wrong girl," Mikayla explained. "You may be looking for my sister…"

"Mikayla!" a man's voice called out.

"Rosie?!"

The girl turned and Mikayla followed her gaze to see her father and sister hurrying toward them. She grinned widely and ran into her father's arms. Joe held his daughter tightly in his arms, two years of nearly nonexistent contact all but forgotten in that moment.

"I'm so glad to have you home, Princess," he murmured. He cradled the older twin in his arms and glanced over at Carter and Rosie. It looked to him like Carter's worries from the night before were about to spring into being. "Honey, let's go get your bags, okay?"

"Okay," Mikayla agreed. She looked over at Carter for a moment and smiled sadly as she followed her father over to the luggage carousel to wait.

"Rosie," Carter whispered, once her father and sister had walked away. "I missed you, baby." She smiled and gently wrapped her arms around Rosie's waist. The young Princess glowered at her and she sighed. She knew what was coming already. Lecture time.

"Do not _sigh_ at me, Carter Mason," Rosie said sternly. "Who is that girl? And why does she look _exactly_ like you?"

"Well, that's Mikayla," Carter said slowly. "And she's my identical twin, which would explain why we look so much alike. Can I have a real hug now?"

"No!" Rosie stepped out of Carter's arms, crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her best friend. "You have never told me that you had a sibling. I would think that would be a thing you would tell your _best friend_, do you not agree?"

Carter sighed and hung her head. She felt terrible for neglecting to tell Rosie about Mikayla. But her father had told her last night that when Rosie had first arrived in Lake Monroe, he hadn't wanted her stay to be any more complicated than it already was. She was hiding from a dictator who was trying to take over her home country. The Mason family was hardly something that would have concerned her at that time.

"You lied to me," Rosie stated.

"I didn't lie!" Carter snapped. "Dad and I didn't tell you 'cause it didn't matter, okay? Mikayla's been away from us for _two years_. We barely heard from her in that time. But apparently, whatever career she had is over, so she came home. As far as I'm concerned, she's not even my _family_ anymore, okay? She left us, she left _me_ and I _hate _her for that!"

"Carter…"

"I loved her, Rosie. _God,_ I loved her! She was my _best friend_. And she just _left_. After all the horrible stuff we'd been through, she _left_." She shook her head and swiped at her eyes. When she looked up, Rosie could see the tears glittering in her eyes.

"Oh, my darling," Rosie murmured, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Carter's neck. "I love you so. You know that, yes?"

"I know," Carter whispered into her neck.

Joe waited patiently for Mikayla's two bags to appear on the belt, while Mikayla watched her sister and this girl – Rosie, apparently – interact. Carter held Rosie like she was the most precious thing on earth. Briefly, the memory of one Miley Stewart entered her mind. She'd held onto this unrequited crush on Miley since the moment she met the brunette backstage with Jake. She wished she'd been more forward and said something to her, tried to get to know her. Maybe then, it would've been worth staying in L.A. a bit longer.

She shook her head and turned back to look at her smiling father. Behind all that smiling and happiness, Mikayla was sure her father was more than a little hurt that she had been so out of contact with them the past two years. Of course, she had called on holidays and on Joe's birthday. She'd tried calling on her birthday for Carter the first year, but her twin had refused to speak to her. Every time she'd called that first year – and she had tried to call at least weekly – she would ask to speak with Carter and would be turned down yet again. Eventually, she gave up. She texted her dad occasionally but ended up just trying to lose herself in whatever work she could find in Hollywood.

Now, looking at her father and her sister and even her sister's friend, Mikayla wished she had put in the effort to fix things. She did _not_ regret going to L.A. It had been amazing while it lasted. But she _did_ regret not calling more and _insisting_ Carter talk to her. She regretted not coming home a few times, at least for Thanksgiving and Christmas…

"Time to go!" Joe announced, holding up Mikayla's two green suitcases. Carter and Rosie walked toward them, and Mikayla noticed the arm Carter kept around Rosie's waist. This girl was clearly very special to Carter.

"Welcome home, Mikayla," Carter said. Her tone was not welcoming; it was forcibly polite. Mikayla hated hearing that tone in her sister's voice. She wished for the billionth time she had fixed things sooner. Maybe then Carter would be happy to have her home – as happy as Mikayla was to _be_ home.

"I am very sorry I jumped on you," Rosie apologized, cheeks pink. "I mistook you for your lovely sister here." She turned her gaze adoringly on Carter, and then Carter smiled and blushed.

"It's cool. It happ—Well, it _used_ to happen a lot. When I still lived here…" Mikayla stopped uncomfortably and just offered Rosie a weak smile.

Joe decided to try to break the tension and turned to the young Queen. "Rosie, do you have your bags?" he asked.

"Yes," Rosie said. She gestured to a man standing by, holding two pink suitcases in his hands. Carter and Joe laughed at the amount of luggage Rosie had brought with her for a two-week stay.

Joe chuckled. "Okay then." He walked up to the good man, spoke in his ear and clapped him on the back. The man nodded and smiled politely. "Let's go girls!" Joe called out, as he and Rosie's man started walking away. Carter squeezed Rosie's waist and the two followed after her father, leaving Mikayla trailing behind them, feeling lost where she'd once felt so at home.

****

When they got home, Carter and Joe went out to the bait shop to close up for vacation. There wouldn't be too many people coming around anymore. It was winter time and they wouldn't be seeing as much fish. This left Rosie and Mikayla alone in the house together, trying to settle in.

Mikayla got into her old bedroom first and immediately crashed on her old bed. No matter how long she'd been away, this was still _her_ bed. Looking up at the ceiling, she smiled and for a second, it felt just like old times, when her mother was still alive and she and Carter were still everything to each other. Then, reality hit her. She slid out of bed and began to unpack her bags.

Rosie watched Mikayla from the doorway. She didn't know what to do. She was still getting used to the fact that Carter had a twin sister. Now, she was fairly certain she had nowhere to sleep. That bed Mikayla was unpacking her stuff onto had been her bed, and she'd expected she'd be able to use it. Unfortunately, the Mason's family secret was making use of it now.

Soft footsteps made Rosie turn around just as Carter stepped out and slid her arms around Rosie's middle. Rosie relaxed a little and placed her hands over Carter's.

"I'm really happy you're here," Carter whispered, nuzzling Rosie's cheek with her nose. "_Really_ happy." Rosie smiled and leaned back into Carter's gentle touches.

"I am so happy to be here," Rosie murmured. "I have missed you, Carter, very, very much."

"I missed you, too." She looked up, past Rosie into her bedroom. Mikayla had stopped unpacking and was watching them. When her eyes met Carter's she quickly turned back to her suitcases and seemed to start working even faster.

Carter sighed and slipped away from Rosie and into the bedroom. When Rosie didn't follow her, she retraced her steps and grabbed Rosie's hands. Grinning, she pulled the young Queen swiftly into her arms and carried her to her bed. She dropped Rosie on the bed and climbed on top of her, pinning the giggling girl beneath her stronger body.

"Guess we'll be sharing a bed tonight," Carter breathed, cupping Rosie's face in her hands and planting kisses on each of her eyelids, cheeks and a longer one on her forehead. "I'll get to hold you _all_ night." Both smiled at the thought, no longer taking any notice of Mikayla, who had again paused in her task to watch her sister interact with this girl.

Mikayla hadn't seen Carter act so affectionately toward another person since their mother died. Carter had been a shy kid, a sharp contrast to her outgoing sister, and she had become even shyer and more withdrawn when their mother passed away. She was still a people-pleaser and would do nearly anything asked of her without a fight, but she didn't speak as much or touch anyone, even for just a friendly hug. Carter's best friend since kindergarten, Ed, had been surprised to find he couldn't get anymore hugs from the normally at least _grudgingly_ affectionate girl. Rosie, however, seemed to have somehow pulled Carter out of her shell. Mikayla couldn't understand it.

Feeling like she was intruding on something, Mikayla decided she'd have the rest of the day and to unpack before the rest of her things arrived. She wandered out of the room, wondering if she'd made the right choice in coming home.


	5. Chapter 3

**NOTES:** So, here's the next chapter. There's a big blow-out in here, and I'm not sure I'm too good with argument scenes. Well, let me know what you think.

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Chapter 3

When Carter woke up the next morning, Rosie was pressed up against her, sleeping soundly against Carter's shoulder. The older girl smiled and brushed a few stray hairs out of her best friend's face. She hadn't woken up this happy in a while. She pressed a kiss to Rosie's temple and just lay there for a little while, admiring Rosie as she slept.

A smell began wafting through the air, a smell that could all be that of Carter's favorite breakfast meal: pancakes and bacon. She could smell the grease and the sweet maple syrup and it was all making her mouth water. Who, however, was cooking in the house? Her father didn't cook much and Carter had never really been interested in cooking. Rosie could cook, but she was asleep in Carter's arms. That left only one person…

Carter wiggled out of bed and stood up, confirming her suspicions: Mikayla was out of bed. Carter stood still for a moment, watching Rosie roll over into the warm spot she had been occupying moments before. She smiled softly and padded out of her bedroom and through the house to the kitchen, where the delightful scent was coming from.

Mikayla turned around when she heard a chair scrape back on the tile floor, spatula in hand. She had a bit of flour on her jaw and neck and was smiling widely.

"Morning, Carter!" she chirped and Carter only groaned in response. She'd forgotten that Mikayla was a morning person – always. Carter would force herself to wake up early for school, but when she didn't have to be completely awake in the morning, she could be pretty grumpy.

"Morning," she finally mumbled. Mikayla grinned, pleased just to get a response out of her estranged sister and continued flipping pancakes. She was sure her sister and father hadn't had a good homemade breakfast in a long time, and she wanted to give them a little "thanks for letting me come home" gift, if that made any sense.

"Good morning," a voice sang out. Mikayla glanced back to see Rosie glide into the kitchen. Carter lifted her head and smiled as Rosie dipped down and kissed her sweetly on the cheek. "Good morning, Mikayla," Rosie added, waving at her best friend's sister.

"Good morning," Mikayla returned, smiling politely.

"I forgot you cooked," Carter said quietly.

Mikayla shrugged and flipped a pancake. "It's been a while. Aunt Rachel always had professional cooks at the house."

"She would," Carter snorted. She turned as Joe walked into the kitchen, sweaty and smiling from his morning run. Mikayla smiled – some things hadn't changed, thankfully. Joe had faithfully run at least two miles every morning for as long as Mikayla could remember.

"Morning, girls!" he said cheerfully, embracing Carter and Rosie. The two girls smiled adoringly up at him and he grinned back before moving to Mikayla. "Making pancakes, honey?"

"Yep," Mikayla replied. "They should be done in ten minutes, I think." Joe nodded and wrapped his arms around her. "Daddy!" she giggled. "You're all sweaty! _Ewww!_"

"Aw, c'mon!" Joe chuckled. "Give your old man a hug, huh?" Mikayla sighed dramatically and sank into her father's sweaty hug for a moment. She had missed this place so much.

"Okay, _old man_," she teased. "Go take a shower. We'll wait for you." Joe nodded and mock-saluted Mikayla before jogging toward the stairs and the bathtub. Mikayla glanced at her sister and Rosie to see them both giggling, foreheads pressed together. She smiled at how totally wrapped up they were in each other. It was the cutest thing she'd ever seen.

****

After breakfast, Carter disappeared. Mikayla had heard her arguing with Rosie about something in their bedroom, and then she'd seen Carter march out the back door, looking pretty pissed off. Rosie had come out of the bedroom a moment later to find Mikayla staring at her and had only weakly smiled before taking off up the stairs, a pile of fresh clothes in hand, to take a shower.

Her father had gone into town for some reason Mikayla couldn't remember and with Rosie busy in the bathroom, Mikayla figured this was a chance to speak with Carter alone that she couldn't pass up. The moment she stepped out onto the back porch, she could see her sister's silhouette sitting on the very edge of their dock by the lake. Unsure what would happen next but holding onto a movie star's determination to get things done, Mikayla padded barefoot down to the dock.

When her foot touched the hot wood of the dock, Mikayla froze and took a deep breath, inhaling the forgotten scent of the lake and watery breeze. This dock was easily the twins' favorite place in the world, thanks to the memories of their mother it brought to mind. The day their mother passed away, they'd say out where Carter was seated now and held each other, taking turns crying into each other's necks.

Mikayla swallowed hard and made her way to the end of the dock. She was certain Carter had heard her but her sister made no move to acknowledge her. So, she just sat down beside her and touched her arm.

"Hey," she said, gazing at her sister's profile.

Carter lifted her head and turned to her sister. "Hey," she said gruffly.

"Missed you."

"I'm mad at you," Carter said shortly.

Mikayla sighed and dropped her gaze to the water. "I know. But…I don't get why."

Carter looked at her. She figured she would get the silliest issue out of the way first. She was already pretty certain she knew how Mikayla would handle it. "What do you mean you don't know _why?_ You stole Donnie when you _knew_ I liked him. You _knew it_, Mickey!"

"Carter, that was _so_ long ago. You have Rosie now." Mikayla looked at her sister pointedly. "I see how you are with her… Why the heck are you even still mad about Donnie?" Carter didn't respond. "Look, can we just…call it a truce? I mean, _I_ don't like Donnie anymore and you don't either. So…let's just let it go. Please?"

"That's not the only problem," Carter said lowly. "And you know it."

Mikayla shut her eyes. She did know it; she knew _exactly_ why Carter was so angry with her. She knew the Donnie issue was not something that could keep Carter from talking to her for all that time she'd been living in California. It was about Mikayla's rise to popularity in school before she left and how badly she'd abused that position. She'd even used it against her own sister, allowing people to lash out at Carter due to her own lower standing in the high school social hierarchy.

"Sis, I'm _so sorry_. I know I hurt you. I know I let others hurt you, too. But…you don't _get it_, Carter. You don't get what it's like to be put in that position. You have to do what all the popular ones want or…you'll never hear the end of it. I'm so sorry…"

Carter was on her feet now, rage and shock displayed openly on her face. "That doesn't excuse what you did! What Chelsea _continues_ to do to me, thanks to your influence." Carter's arms were tight across her chest as she glared down at her sister. "Look, we're through here."

"Carter, no! Come on, I'm not that girl anymore!" Mikayla protested, standing up and grabbing her sister's elbow. "I'm not that girl. I never _was_ that girl. I hid. I hid under that. I wanted to be popular. I wanted to be at the top of the twisted social pyramid thing they have in high school. But I was _stupid_."

Carter just continued to glare at her. Mikayla felt as if her heart was being shredded into tiny pieces. She remembered when her heart had first started to rip: when Carter had refused to even acknowledge she was leaving for L.A.

"It killed me not talking to you, then. It was _worse_ when I was in Cali with Uncle John and Aunt Rachel and I couldn't talk to you. Daddy tried to brush it off as you missing me and not wanting to make it worse, but I _knew_ that wasn't it. It tore me apart being away from you, Carter. And then I come home, and you're all over Rosie… I feel out of place here."

"Good!" Carter snapped. "Because you _are!_ You are completely out of place here. You were gone for two years and you should've _stayed_ there. I know why you _really_ left, Mick. You were afraid those kids were going to turn on you. And when they did, you didn't know how you were going to face me for doing all that horrible stuff to me. So you did what you do best: you avoided it.

"Well, _great job!_ You successfully avoided it for two years and made me even angrier. _That's_ why I avoided your phone calls. And _that's_ why I wanted to scream and hit something when Dad told me you were coming home."

That was the end of her heart. Mikayla felt the pieces flutter down into her stomach. Carter had done what Mikayla knew she'd wanted to from the moment they met at the airport the previous day: she had effectively destroyed Mikayla. During her attempted apology, too.

"Rosie helped me learn to ignore the popular crowd. She taught that I was special and that their opinion of me shouldn't matter to me. And because of her, I don't like Donnie anymore. In fact, I hate him and Chelsea. She _loves me_, Mickey. And I love her, too."

Mikayla eyed her sister warily. After the way Carter had just laid into her, she wasn't sure if Carter was working to yell at her more or if she was truly trying to share her life. Carter's muscles had relaxed, if that was any indication, and she was smiling a little more. That, however, could have just been the effect of thinking about Rosie. Her eyes were kind of starry, actually, like she was almost in another world.

Mikayla decided that responding would probably be good and said, "That's great, Carter."

"We just had a big fight about you," Carter continued. "She wants me to forgive you. She thinks two years without talking is enough punishment for you. But I'm not sure." Her eyes clear up and her eyes bore into yours as she speaks. "You'll never understand what you put me through. You did it yourself and your former cronies carried on your work these past two years. But…you're my sister. And no matter what I've told myself…I love you. So…I guess I can forgive you."

Mikayla couldn't help but grin and threw her arms around her twin. She sighed softly, happily, because the two of them still fit together just like they always had. Carter squeezed her sister against her body, just for a moment, before stepping back and saying, "I don't trust you. You have to earn that back."

"I'd be happy to," Mikayla said, reaching out and squeezing Carter's hands. "I love you, Carter."

Carter sighed and gave her sister a little half-grin. "I love you, too, Mickey. Don't wreck me again. Please."

"I'll won't," Mikayla said solemnly. "I promise."

"And I know I said you're out of place here, but…it doesn't matter. In the end, you will always belong here. With me. And Dad."

"Yeah," Mikayla acknowledged. "I do. You're why I came back. And for Daddy, of course."

Carter nodded and started walking down the dock. When she realized Mikayla haven't followed her, she stopped and turned around. "What are you waiting for, ditz? Let's go!" Mikayla grinned and followed after her sister like a lost puppy dog, briefly wondering what happened to that pop star confidence she'd picked up in L.A.

When the two girls walked inside, Rosie was seated on the couch, watching something on TV with Joe. The two skipped up and squeezed in between their guest and their father. Carter slipped her arm around Rosie's waist and kissed her cheek, a silent apology that Rosie silently accepted, judging by the smile that crept onto her lips.

Mikayla curled up under her father's arms and they shared a smile. She had missed it here, and she hoped Carter was right: that as out of place as she may have felt, she would still always belong here. She was glad that she had Carter's grudging forgiveness and her father's undying forgiveness (something she could only assume came from that fatherly love). But she didn't have Carter's trust. And that would be the hardest thing to earn back.

It was school that would be the challenge, she realized. She would be put back into that old environment, the one that had _killed_ her relationship with her sister. She shook her head, deciding that now was not the time to worry about that. She focused on the TV; they were watching some old black-and-white sitcom. And oh, there was the Christmas tree in the corner – it was an old holiday special. She sank into that happy Christmas world.

It was half an hour later when Mikayla felt it. Carter's hand covered hers, fingers threading through hers. She glanced over at her twin and smiled. They could fix it. One step at a time.


End file.
